RICHARDSON,
Texas (April 30, 2001) ­ Formally launching a program made possible by
a $32-million gift by the widow of one the co-founders of Texas
Instruments and modeled after the prestigious Morehead Scholars program
at the University of North Carolina, The University of Texas at Dallas
(UTD) today announced its first class of Eugene McDermott Scholars ­
20 young men and women with exceptional records of accomplishment,
dramatically diverse interests and significant leadership potential.

As
McDermott Scholars, the 12 men and eight women selected will have all of
their educational expenses ­ including travel, participation in
innovative special programs and room, board and supplies ­ covered for
the next four years.The
students, 17 of whom are from Texas, will enroll at UTD, one of the
fastest-growing public universities in the country, for the fall
semester.

Mrs.
Margaret McDermott, whose gift last September making the scholars
program possible was by far the largest gift in UTD’s history , said
after reviewing the selection process and the group of students chosen
that she was "delighted with the first class picked by the
university."

"I
said last fall, when I announced the gift in memory of my husband, that
I expected the McDermott
Scholars to be well-rounded, ethical, smart and eager to learn,"
she said."I think this
group of young men and women exemplifies those standards."

Eugene
McDermott, who died in 1973, was a life-long supporter of excellence in
education.He and his TI
co-founders, Cecil Green and the late Erik Jonsson, a former mayor of
Dallas, founded the research institution that more than three decades
ago became The University of Texas at Dallas.

"The
McDermott Scholars program each year will bring some of the best and
brightest young students in the country to UTD, and that inevitably will
enhance the prestige of the university," said University President Dr.
Franklyn G. Jenifer."UTD
already has a national reputation in such areas as computer science,
engineering and audiology, and the McDermott program can only raise
UTD’s stature even higher."

UTD
Provost and Executive Vice President Dr. Hobson Wildenthal, who played a
major role in overseeing the evolution of the Eugene McDermott Scholars
Program from a concept to a reality, praised Mrs. McDermott for making
the program possible and said he had "no doubt that the program would
produce many future leaders."

"This
is a great opportunity for the student-scholars selected, to be sure,"
Wildenthal said."But I
think they will pay us back many times over with the contributions they
make to society.We will
expect them to be leaders from the first day they set foot on campus."

Because
all of their expenses will be paid, the McDermott Scholars will be free
from the need to work outside of school and will be able to participate
in a wide range of artistic, cultural and educational enrichment
activities the program directors will arrange for them.The McDermott experience also will include travel opportunities,
beginning with a two-week orientation and leadership-training exercise
in Santa Fe, New Mexico, before classes begin this fall.At the end of their freshman year, the students will spend two
weeks as a group in Washington, D.C.The program also will pay for international study and travel.

The
director of the McDermott Scholars Program, Dr. Charles Leonard, said,
"We’re extremely pleased and proud to have been able to recruit such
a stellar group of young people to be the pioneers in the program.Of course, their SAT scores are above the 95th
percentile; of course, their grades are exemplary. But what sets the
McDermott Scholars apart from other very bright high school students are
their demonstrated leadership skills in their high schools and their
records of commitment and voluntarism in their communities."

Leonard
pointed out that the members of the first class of McDermott Scholars
had chosen UTD and the McDermott program over offers from such schools
as Yale University, Carnegie Mellon University, Rice University, The
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University, Washington
University in St. Louis, The University of Texas at Austin, The
California Institute of Technology, the University of California at
Berkeley and many others.The
group includes class presidents and valedictorians, captains of school
robotics and debate teams, volunteer tutors, church youth-group leaders,
musicians, athletes, Junior ROTC commanders, competitive chess players,
concert pianists, artists, and fluent speakers of French, Spanish,
Arabic, and Mandarin Chinese.

Beginning
with this class, each year The Eugene McDermott Scholars Program will
recruit 20 students from throughout Texas and from selected schools in
other states.For
additional information on the program, please call 972-883-4610 or visit
the McDermott Scholars Program web site at www.utdallas.edu/mcdermott.

The
first McDermott Scholars are listed below, alphabetically by Texas city
for Texas residents and alphabetically by state for those from outside
Texas.

TEXAS

AUSTIN

Timothy
James Hise of LBJ High School in Austin, son of Hazel and Lewis
Hise.Timothy is an
active member of his high school's Student Senate, National Honor
Society, Campus Advisory Council, and Principal Advisory Board.He plans to major in education and become a teacher.

BELLAIRE

Ms.
Jennifer JeanJean Fu of Bellaire High School in Bellaire, daughter
of Mrs. Rae Chou.Jennifer
is an active member of Student Government, Model United Nations,
and Mu Alpha Theta Math Club and does numerous hours of volunteer
work at Memorial-Hermann Hospital.She plans to study in the sciences or engineering.

COLLEYVILLE

Robert
George Sterie of Colleyville Heritage High School in Colleyville,
son of Sally and George Sterie.Robert is an athlete, participating on his high school's
football, track, power lifting and cross-country teams.He plans to study in the sciences or mathematics.

DALLAS

William
Justin Appleby of The School of Science & Engineering at
Townview in Dallas, son of Mary Ann and Robert Appleby.Justin has participated in his high school’s Computer and
Science Teams, National Honor Society, and Student Government,
holding numerous leadership positions within these organizations.He plans to study physics or electrical engineering.

Daniel
Quinn Erwin of Booker T. Washington High School in Dallas, son of
Theresa and Hugh Erwin.He
participates in Boy Scouts of America and the National Art Honor
Society.Daniel wants
to study art and mathematics.

DEER
PARK

Ryan
Denver Davidson of Deer Park High School in Deer Park, son of Mrs.
Joanne Eanes.In high
school, Ryan has been active in the Mu Alpha Theta Math Club,
Academic Decathlon and Interact.He volunteers and is very active in his community.Ryan plans to major in political science.

DENISON

Brian
Wesley McMenamy of Denison High School in Denison, son of Vicki
and Stanley McMenamy.Brian
is a member of the Peer Assistance and Leadership Program,
National Honor Society and the United Service Club.Brian is well traveled and plans on studying in the social
sciences or business administration.

FRISCO

Eric
James Kildebeck of Frisco High School, son of Diann and Jim
Kildebeck.He has played in both his high school’s marching and wind
symphony band; he also has been active in the National Honor
Society.Eric plans
to study electrical engineering.

GARLAND

Nicolas
Charles Dempsey of Garland High School, son of Mrs. Judy Dempsey.Nicolas is member of his high school band and theatre
department, National Honor Society, and the International
Baccalaureate Program.Nicolas
plans to study in the School of Human Development.

HOUSTON

John
Lin Hwang of Memorial Senior High School, son of Kyong and Seung
Hwang.During high
school, John has been active in the Student Council and the
volunteer organization, Memorial Mustang Outreach Bunch.He plans to study telecommunication.

KATY

Laura
Azar Rashedi of James E. Taylor High School, daughter of Sandra
and Dr. Reza Rashedi.Laura
is a member of the National Forensic League - Speech and Debate
Team, Girl Scouts of America, the high school yearbook staff,
National Honor Society and Odyssey of the Mind.Laura also volunteers at Katy Christian Ministries.She plans to study biology.

Aidan
Skoyles of James E. Taylor High School in Katy, son of Roberta and
Derek Skoyles.Aidan
has participated in Odyssey of the Mind, Destination Imagination,
Boy Scouts of America, and his high school golf team.He plans to study electrical engineering.

KINGWOOD

DeLisa
Lynn Lay of Kingwood High School, daughter of Kathy and Michael
Lay.DeLisa enjoys
music and sings in both her church and school choirs.She also is active in the National Honor Society and a book
club.DeLisa plans to study either in the Humanities or
Interdisciplinary Studies.

PLANO

Emily
Anne Hinz of Plano Senior High School, daughter of Bonnie and
Lorne Hinz.Emily is
a member of the National Honor Society and the Environmental Club.She is an active participant in both her school and church
musical programs. Emily enjoys working on art projects and
attending musicals.While
at UTD, she plans to study computer science and geosciences.

RICHARDSON

Kelsey
Blanche Condra of Richardson High School, daughter of Debra and Ed
Condra. Kelsey is active on her high school newspaper staff and in
the National Honor Society.She
has done volunteer work for a homeless shelter and continues to
tutor elementary school students. Kelsey plans to major in the
humanities and literary studies.

Megan
Elizabeth Creasey of J. J. Pearce High School in Richardson,
daughter of Julia and Jim Creasey.She is captain of the Robotics Team, and a member of Mu
Alpha Theta Math Club, Engineering Club, and National Honor
Society . She also is a ballet dancer.Megan wants to pursue a double degree in physics and
electrical engineering.

Sarah
Islam of L. V. Berkner High School in Richardson, daughter of
Almasi and Mohammad Islam.Sarah
is an active member of the National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta
Math Club, Spanish Club, National Spanish Honor Society, and
volunteers for the Holy Land Foundation. Sarah founded Berkner’s
chapter of the Muslim Students Association. She plans to major in
cognitive science, and thereafter attend medical school.

ALABAMA

Robert
Christopher Hastings of Baldwin County High School in Bay Minette,
Alabama, son of Robert and Teri Hastings.Chris is a soccer player and a member of the AFJROTC, Key
Club, French Club and the Kitty Hawk Air Society.He plans to study electrical engineering.

SOUTH
CAROLINA

Walter
Everett Voit of Wando High School in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina,
son of Ann and Eberhard Voit.Walter
is a member of his high school’s soccer, basketball, and Quiz Bowl
teams and plays the piano.Walter
plans to study computer science.

WISCONSIN

Morgan
Feeney of Walden III High School in Racine, Wisconsin, daughter of
Dorothy and Thomas Feeney.Morgan is a member of her high school’s Academic Decathlon
team and chess team.Morgan
writes poetry and wants to major in literary studies. She plans to
play for UTD’s national collegiate-champion chess team.

About
UTD

The University of Texas at Dallas, located at the convergence of
Richardson, Plano and Dallas in the heart of the complex of major
multinational technology corporations known as the Telecom Corridor,
enrolls approximately 6,500 undergraduate and 4,500 graduate students.The school’s freshman class traditionally stands at the
forefront of Texas state universities in terms of average SAT scores.The university offers a broad assortment of bachelor’s,
master’s and doctoral degree programs.